Support



June 9, 1953 E. OSTBERG 2,641,425

SUPPORT Filed June 20, 1950 INVENTUR ERIK USTBERG .EY- m] I ATTURNEY Patented June 9, 1953 T lif- I p v I SUPPORT Erik ostberg, Syracuse, t -r- E353 -Washing Machine florporatiun,synacusq hlz l, v a corporation of- Delaware 'Ap-pl ication'June-20, 1950,; Serial No. 1692180" This invention relates to a support for appliances; and more particularly'to a light-weight support adapted to hold a portable washing machine in suspension in such manner as to minimize. transmission of vibration. I In portable washers of the'centrifugal'extractor type which are adapted tobe placed uponia table or: supporting structure, it quite frequently occurs that" the laundry. therein; in undergoing centrifugal extraction is poorly distributed, resulting in vibration; and where the machine is not placed on a level surface, it is likely, by reason of the vibration, to move along the surface and further transmit vibratory forces to the supporting structure.

The present invention is directed to a relatively simple rack or support structure for such a machine wherein the machine is suspended and allowed to float, and wherein the vibratory forces set up by centrifugalextraction will not in any appreciable degree be transmitted to the supporting table. The invention further has to do with a supporting structure which may be folded and conveniently stored, and which is relatively economical to manufacture and easily set up and used for the purpose described.

The above and other novel features of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is expressly understood that the drawings are employed for purposes of illustration only and are not designed as a definition of the limits of the invention, reference being had for this purpose to the appended claims.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate like parts:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the supporting structure with a portabl washing machine positioned therein;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the supporting structure showing the manner in which it may be folded for storage; and

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown in Figure 1 a washing machine I of the portable type having therein a centrifugal extractor mounted for rotation on a vertical axis. The machine comprises a tub l2 and base 14, the latter being flanged at'the bottom as at I6 and provided with rubber feet (see Figure 3) I8 located slightly inwardly of the flange 16. The machine may be of the type disclosed in application Serial No. 81,963, filed March 1'7, 1949. The

. a Claims. (chars-as) feet 08 'extend sli-ghtiy belowtheiflangezsot asto provide an: angulan-shoulden20 whichcmasnube fitted' within? the: -'circular f r-in'g such as 22, the

ring forming a suspended membercofzthgsupport;

' ime-support.pzcperl 'consists. oitiawplurali-ty of 'arms fll joined :togetherusentrally"byji-a plate 2'61. Each armixmay pivotally secured to: the: plate by s'creworotlier .suitableiifastening'means; such as 1 28 each each: arm ma5c berprovided1 with a detent 30 cooperating with a complementary recess 32 struck in the plate 26. By such arrangement, it will appear that the arms 24 may be held in radial positions as shown in Figure 2, or through resiliency of the inner ends 34 of the arms, the arms may be swung to the dotted positions as at 24'. Each of the arms is provided with a slight downward offset 36 and provided with a resilient foot 38 of rubber bonded to the arm or similar material, and the other end of the arm is bent upwardly as at 40 to provide an upwardly extending inclined hanger portion, the upper end being return bent as at 42 to receive a hanger strap 44.

The ring 22 is provided with slight offsets as at 46 around which the loops 48 of the straps 44 pass, and the upper ends of the straps 44 are secured together by suitable fastening means to the return bent portion 42 of the upwardly extending portion 40 of the arms 24. The straps may be of Woven fabric or webbing, leather or plastic, as may be desired, the same having flexibility and slight resiliency if desired. The ring 22, being supported at three (or more if desired) spaced points around its periphery by the straps, is adapted to support a portable washing machine in the manner shown in Figure 1, and any vibration set up in the washing machine during centrifugal extraction will be transmitted to the ring 22, which, as will be readily apparent, is allowed floating movement by reason, of being suspended from the straps 44. Thus, the washing machine will be permitted to vibrate in response to any unbalanced load, and yet the vibratory forces will not be transmitted to the arms 24- in any appreciable amount. Such an arrangement will permit the centrifugal extractor basket within the machine to find its own center during centrifugal extraction and permit the machine to operate in a quiet, unoffensive manner, regardless of the degree of unbalance present within the centrifugal extractor. It will appear that when it is desired to store the machine, the frame after removing the machine, may be folded in the manner shown in dotted lines in Figure 2, the ring 22 and base member being convenientl;

adapted to b hung on the wall or placed in some out of the way storage space.

Although a single embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto; As various changes in the construction and arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, reference will be had to the appended claims for a definition of the limits of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a vibration absorbing appliance support, a plurality of radial arms, a central plate secured to the inner ends of each of said arms,

each of said arms having a downward offset and an upstanding hanger support at each of their outer ends, said offsets having resilient feet applied thereto, an appliance supporting ring having outward offsets uniformly spaced therearound in number corresponding to the number of said arms, and loopedhanger straps extending around said ring offsets and connected to said upstanding hanger supports.

' 2. In a vibration absorbing appliance support, a plurality of radial arms, a central plate secured to the inner ends of each of said arms, each of said arms having a downward offset, and an inclined upstanding hanger support at each of their outer ends, said ofiset having resilient feet applied thereto, an appliance supporting ring having outward offsets uniformly spaced therearound in number corresponding to the number of said arms, and looped hanger straps extending around said ring offsets and connected to said upstanding hanger supports, and extending upward in an outwardly inclined direction to said hanger supports.

3. In a vibration absorbing appliance support, at least three radial arms, a central plate for said arms, each of said arms being pivotally connected to said plate, and each of said arms and said plate having cooperating detent means for securing said arms 'in radial position, each of said arms having a foot, and an upstanding hanger support, an appliance support ring, and flexible means for hanging said support ring from said upstanding hanger supports.

ERIK OSTBERG.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,780,719 Price Nov. 4, 1930 1,842,198 Price Jan. 19, 1932 2,014,581 Norton Sept. 17, 1935 2,232,456 Hewetson Feb. 18, 1941 2,347,190 Geldhof et al. Apr. 25, 1944 

